Acmetropolis 5: Mindbender
by furrball
Summary: Sometimes, home-grown criminals are the worst. Rated T because I just felt like it. PaulaxDukexTech


Acmetropolis 5: "Mindbender" by furrball

Chapter One: "A very human adventure…"

---

It was now three days after the H.O.P. Force had moved into their new HQ, the Acmetropolis Tower. Coincidentally, it was also the same day that both Drake Sypher and Mallory Casey had been released from the hospital after surviving the fire that had claimed the Force's old headquarters, the estate of the late Dr. Sakamoto Hu. "So, Mall, whatcha think?" Drake asked.

"I think you really need to work on your elocution, Sypher," Mastermind said with a smile in her voice. She still bore a bandage on her forehead from where General Qurrg had attacked her with the crowbar, and to further cover up the stitches, she had restyled her jet black hair into bangs which reached to her eyebrows, while maintaining that ponytail in back.

"But I'm innocent!"

"I said '_elocution_,' not '_electrocution_,' copyboy," Mallory grimaced. "Although, now that I think about it, I'll be more than happy to pull the switch..."

"I'll just _bet_ you would," Drake muttered. "You gotta admit, though, Mall, this is some pretty fancy stuff the Loonatics left us."

"Well, they couldn't take _everything_ to Planet Blanc with them," she agreed. "I just wish Tech had some spare Zoomatrixes, though. It was a shame to lose those in the fire..."

"Better those than _us_, Mall," Drake noted with a sigh. "Anyway, if I know Tech, he probably left the blueprints here somewhere, so you and Velvet can cobble up some new ones. In the meantime, we can always make do with those hover boards."

"I suppose you're right, Drake," Mallory smiled. "I think I need to practice a bit more on mine, anyway... oh well, we'll have plenty of time for that later."

"Hey, don't get good and comfy just yet, guys," Paula said as she stuck her head in the doorway. "We've got an interdimensional confab with Zadavia in the conference room, like, right now!"

"I wonder if it was always like this when the Loonatics were here," Drake mumbled as the fivesome took their chairs.

"Yes it was, Mr. Sypher," the holographic form of Zadavia said from the center of the table. "And from your reaction, I see nothing has changed."

"Oops..."

"Well, _almost_ nothing," the Frelengian smiled. "Drake, Mallory, welcome back."

"Thanks, Zadavia," Mallory said, casting a playfully contemptuous glance at Drake. "It's _almost_ good to be back."

"So, Zadavia, what's the purpose of the conference call?" asked Massive.

"I'm glad you asked, Gordon. I don't need to tell you that quite a lot has happened in the last few days, and this will affect your current status in two ways."

"How so?" Paula asked.

"One, with General Qurrg now awaiting trial for his treachery, you currently don't have a team supervisor. Have you any suggestions as to who should fill that role?"

"Is this a test, cos I was never very good at tests," Sypher declared.

"I could imagine," Zadavia smiled.

"Well, Drake just eliminated himself," Mallory crowed.

"I _wondered_ where that smell was coming from," Massive said.

"Yeesh!" Velvet said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "We really wish you'd come back..."

"I'd like to, Velvet, but my duties here on Freleng will keep me quite occupied for some eons to come. Maybe you don't need a supervisor so much as a team leader?"

"_Now_ you're talking, boss chick!" Sypher said, perking up. "I was _born_ to lead!"

"Yes, well, unfortunately, Acmetropolis can't wait for the gestation period. The leader should be fearless..."

"Um, I guess that lets me out then," Paula grinned sheepishly. "I... wasn't very brave the last time out, there..."

"Don't sell yourself short, Paula," Zadavia advised her. "Once you got your powers back, you more than made up for it. Now, Drake, on the other hand, is more prone to improvising."

"And that's bad, right?"

"On the contrary, Drake. A good leader has to think on his feet sometimes. I've noticed you tend to do that quite a bit, and more often than not, it works. However, a good leader also needs to inspire trust and confidence amongst his or her fellow teammates. Based on what I've seen of you since the team formed, any one of you could still qualify."

This took them all by surprise, but none more so than Drake. "Even me?"

"Well, that might be _stretching_ it a bit, but yes, Drake, even _you_ have that potential."

"Um, Zadavia, you said we were affected in two ways here. What's number two?" Paula asked.

"That's the main reason why I called this meeting. There's something important I've been needing to tell you, and I see no reason to put it off any longer. I also think it would be better if I told you in person." With that, the holographic image of Zadavia disappeared from the conference table.

"Where'd she go?" asked Sypher, as Paula tapped him on the shoulder.

"Something tells me we're about to find out," she said as a portal opened up in the room, and the blonde Frelengian stepped out of it. "Zadavia!"

"Hello, HOP Force," she smiled.

"So, what's the big news?" Velvet smiled. "Have you got a leader picked out for us already?"

"No, Velvet, that can wait. This is much more important," Zadavia said, sitting in the sixth chair. "It occurred to me that I put an unnecessary burden on the original four of you when it turned out your 'supervisor' was even _more_ evil than you _used_ to be."

"Does this have something to do with that stipulation you mentioned at the beginning of all this?" Massive asked, referring to the unwritten clause which stated that if one of them reverted back to crime, then _all_ of them would go back to prison.

"Yes it does, Gordon. As I said, it turned out to be unnecessary, and so, it gives me great pleasure to announce that stipulation is now officially cancelled!"

"You mean we're no longer on parole?" Paula asked.

"Completely. The parole board agreed, and I concur, that anybody who'd defend Acmetropolis against the Selzerians the way _you_ did, are heroes of the highest order. You've all proven yourselves to be the champions I _knew_ you could be. Congratulations!" Zadavia smiled.

"And you said you weren't any good at tests," Massive kidded Drake.

"And I have a special surprise for you," Zadavia added. "Look out the window and you'll see it." The fivesome turned their heads and gasped in awe as one of Zadavia's gleaming pearl-white spaceships floated in a parking orbit nearby.

"Whoa!" Sypher declared. "Is that _ours?_"

"Yes, Drake, it is."

"Mondo cool! But one thing, boss chick..."

"Yes?"

"If... if you're in _here_, then, _who's_ flying the plane?"

Zadavia smiled as the video screen suddenly activated and the pilot's face could be seen, bigger than life. "It's not a plane, squirt; it's a Frelengian stingray fighter! Sheesh! Get a clue!"

**"**_**DUKE!**_**"** Paula screamed as she recognized Drake's older brother, Capt. Don Sypher, Acmetropolis Military Intelligence (Retired).

"Hey, 'Surfer Girl', how ya been?" Duke laughed. "Nice to see you without the bandages. So you tell 'em yet, Zadavia?"

"I was just about to. Your brother, Mr. Sypher, will be joining the team as your chief pilot, starting immediately!"

"Oh, wow... If I wasn't afraid of stealing your powers, I'd hug you!"

"I thought you said you could control that," Paula snickered.

"I'll risk it, Mr. Sypher," Zadavia smiled.

---

While all this was going on, something else was taking place at the Bank of Acmetropolis that would soon require the immediate attention of the HOP Force. As an armored truck pulled into the back lot with another load of quasarlinium, a man casually strode up for a closer look. He was about average height, slightly balding, dressed in a light brown trench coat that was obviously two sizes too large for him if it were an inch, and whistled casually, just kicking the occasional pebble until one of the guards noticed him. "Hey, buddy, is there a problem?" he asked.

"No, no problem," the man replied almost casually.

"Fine, but this is a restricted area."

"Um, restricted area?"

"Yeah, that means it's off limits to the general public," the guard replied, adding in a barely-heard mumble, "or _whatever_ you are."

"Oh, I see… terribly sorry…"

"Look, is there _anything_ we can help you with?"

The man glanced skyward for a second or two as if he were lost in thought (an unlikely possibility, the guard observed). Suddenly, his features brightened. "As a matter of fact, gentlemen, yes there is," he replied, suddenly doffing his coat. He was dressed in a strange blue uniform with a large ruby red jewel pinned to his chest. "You will kindly hand over your quasarlinium, gentlemen… now!"

"Nothing doing," the driver replied sharply, taking a swing at the man.

Suddenly, the jewel on the man's chest began to glow. "Oh, I believe you _will_, my good fellow," he said, stretching out his hand, causing a beam of ruby red light to hit the driver square in the chest. "I think you're about due for a cardiac arrest," he chortled… and eerily enough, that's exactly what happened to him!

"Hey!" yelled another of the guards.

"Delays, delays," the man muttered, pointing his hands in the direction of the two remaining guards and striking them with the same light. "It's a pity this job has so much _stress_ attached to it," he smiled quietly. "Why, I've heard tell some bank guards have been known to _shoot_ each other for no reason at all…"

Which they did.

The man picked up his trench coat, strolled casually to the armored car, jumped into the drivers' seat, and drove off towards parts unknown.

---

"So, Duke, how'd the military take to your resignation?" Gordon chuckled.

"Well, let's just say Colonel Trench wasn't exactly _happy_ to see me go," Duke replied, "but under the circumstances, _I_ wasn't exactly _unhappy_ to leave…" He was interrupted by the sound of the emergency monitors. "Hold that thought."

The team scrambled to the video screen, to see a worried looking Chief Reilly. "Reilly calling the HOP Force, repeat…"

Paula was the first to respond. "We're here, Chief, what's going on?"

"There's been a robbery at the Bank of Acmetropolis. Somebody just hijacked an armored car full of quasarlinium… and there's more," Reilly added. "Somehow, he caused the driver to have a heart attack and made the guards shoot each other. See for yourselves." He ran the security footage of the robbery, which the Force studied with eyes wide open.

"My word," Velvet gasped. "How are they, Chief?"

"We're still waiting for… oh wait, I'm getting a report from the hospital now…" Reilly gave them a pained look as he reviewed the information. "They didn't make it, Vel," he sighed.

The Force and Zadavia bowed their heads for a brief moment of silence.

"Great. So now we've got a _murderer_ as well as a bank robber," Duke muttered.

"Welcome to the big leagues, bro'," Drake replied, without his usual sense of humor.

"Chief Reilly," Zadavia responded, "he made his getaway in the armored car, right?"

"Right, Zadavia. It's got a GPS on it, so it should be easy enough to track…"

"Then we're on it, Chief," Massive declared.

"Guys?" Reilly said with a worried tone in his voice, which got their attention. "We already lost three good people today. I don't want to have to lose five more…"

"Make that six, Chief," Duke replied. "We'll be careful."

"Why is it every time I turn around, you've added another member?" Reilly shook his head.

"The boss chick likes large groups," Drake replied. "We don't know _what_ she's gonna do if they ever bring back the big bands. HOP Force out."

"Force," Zadavia said, "I echo the Chief's concerns. Please… be careful."

"Don't worry, Zadavia," Paula responded. "We will. Duke, you ready to fly?"

"You know it, Surfer Girl."

"Okay. Grab your hover boards, folks, we may have a lot of ground to cover."

"Right," the rest of the team replied, snatching their boards off of the wall rack and racing to the jet. Once they'd strapped themselves in, they took off to find this newest villain…

Unaware of how soon, or in what fashion their paths would cross…

---

As he flew the jet through the Acmetropolis skies, Duke had to hand it to the Frelengians - their technology was head and shoulders above _anything_ those miserable Selzerians could have come up with. "Any sign of _it?_" he asked Drake, who was sitting in the navigator's chair.

"You mean _him_, don't you?"

"After what that buzzard pulled today, he's an 'it' to me," Duke growled in no uncertain terms.

"Let's have a look," Mallory replied, paying attention to the GPS. "So far, no sign… wait… there's the car in Sector 29, right near the park. Just seems to be sitting there…"

"I don't like that," Massive said. "Too simple. Vel, can we get a scan on this thing?"

"No problem," Velvet half-smiled, scanning the armored truck with the very latest in Frelengian scanning devices. "Duke, can we get in any closer? I can't quite make this out…"

"You got it," he answered, lowering the jet a few hundred feet. "How's that?"

"Okay, that's good," Vel said, peering intently at her monitor. "Hm… nope, no quasarlinium here. I guess he got the goods and split…"

Paula peered over her shoulder. "Hey, wait a minute, Vel. Can you zoom in any closer?"

"You see something, 'little sister'?"

"Maybe," she muttered, peering at the screen as Vel zoomed in. A horrified look came upon her at that instant. "Oh my god… Mallory, what does that look like to you?"

Mastermind dashed over to the screen, and her jaw dropped. "It looks like he left us a going away present… literally…"

Vel switched the view to the main monitor so all could get a look. "Holy caramba! That thing's full of explosives! Duke, pull up!"

"You got it!" He maneuvered the jet as far away from the armored car as fast as he could before the bombs went off.

"Duke, let me outta here!" Paula snapped, disconnecting her hover board from the loop on her right hip. "When that thing goes off, that's going to be one big boom, and a lot of folks might get hurt… or worse!" She concentrated and instantly transformed into Weather Vane. Duke maintained a brief parking orbit, long enough for the escape hatch to open. "Wish me luck, guys!" Weather Vane said as she pressed the red button which unfolded her board. "Surf's up!" she yelled, sailing out of the plane and parking straight above the armored car. "Vel, can you scan the timer on that thing?"

"Yeah… ohmigosh… _PAULA, GET OUT OF THERE!_" she screamed… just as the bombs exploded.

As people in the park started scattering to get out of the way, they noticed Weather Vane on her hover board forming a storm cloud and dousing the explosion as quickly as she could; however, the force of the explosion knocked her off her board!

"BABE!" Massive yelled.

Instinctively, Weather Vane grabbed for the edge of her board and held on for dear life before she suddenly remembered that _that_ wouldn't keep her aloft for very long. As she plummeted towards the remains of the truck, an idea occurred to her. 'Okay, Paula, this is where you see if all those P.E. classes paid off,' she thought hurriedly. Briefly closing her eyes, she grunted and, swinging back and forth, propelled herself back onto the top of her board like a champion gymnast. Having regained her bearings, she swooped over the wreckage, just missing it by inches, and caught up with the HOP Force's jet. Quickly, Massive opened the escape hatch long enough for her to zoom back inside. Running off the board, Weather Vane reverted to Paula and collapsed in his arms, breathing heavily.

"Babe!" he repeated. "You okay?"

Gasping for air, Paula looked up and declared, "Gordon, I _swear_… I'll _never_… miss _church_ again… for as long as I _live_…"

---

Chapter Two: "Disappearing act…"

---

Back at HQ, the Force were comparing notes with Chief Reilly, who'd decided to pay them a personal visit. "That was quick thinking, Paula," he told her. "A little reckless, but quick."

"I had to do _something_, Chief," she shrugged.

"Well, thank goodness you _did_," he reassured her. "If you hadn't been there, it could've been much worse."

"Thanks," Paula sighed. "You should've tried it from _my_ side."

"I'll pass," he said. "Mid-air gymnastics aren't my thing, _especially_ when plummeting towards an exploding armored car!"

"Hey, Weatherbabe, that means you have the field all to yourself," Drake observed.

Velvet returned from the lab at that moment carrying Paula's hover board. "There you are, 'little sister', good as new."

Paula took the board from Vel. "Thank you… hey, what's this?"

"I decided to embellish it a little," Velvet grinned, as Paula read the words Vel had painstakingly painted on the front.

"_'Surfer Girl'?_" Paula asked with a slight chuckle.

"I was going to put 'Reckless Idiot' on there, but I didn't have enough paint," Vel replied. "Besides, I thought it should be made official."

"Bearing in mind the old adage that the worst thing you can do to something is to make it official, I'll settle for that," Paula smiled as she pressed the red button, causing the board to collapse, taking the Chief aback.

"Whoa!" he said. "Amazing!"

Paula shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. After a few times, you kind of get _used_ to it. Still no sign of you-know-whom, though?"

"No," Reilly sighed, shaking his head. "I really want to capture this son-of-a… well…"

"What parent would _claim_ him?" Duke asked. "Chief, if there's anything I learned from my years in M.I., it's that sooner or later, they _all_ slip up."

"I'm for making it _sooner_ than sooner," Mallory noted bitterly.

"Amen to _that_, brain babe," Drake sighed.

"I hear ya. Well guys, I gotta get going," Reilly said, excusing himself. "I'll let you know if I find out anything."

"Likewise, Chief," said Paula. After Reilly had left, she rose from the couch and headed to the video center, typing into the main computer until another face could be seen, a young woman with curiously teal-colored hair which was styled in a way that was, well, indescribable. The best phrase that came to Paula's mind was 'a cockatoo on drugs'. Paula grimaced. Of all the people at Acme-T News to contact, it _would_ be Misty Breeze. "Um, hi, Misty…"

"Huh? Oh, it's _you_," Misty said disdainfully. "What do _you_ want?"

Paula briefly put her head in her hands before continuing the conversation. "Look, talking to you isn't exactly a festival of joy for me either, _okay?_"

"At least we understand each other… barely…"

"Don't _start_, Misty, this is _serious_. Have you heard about that bank robbery this morning?"

"Oh, that. Yeah, it's the talk of the newsroom; unfortunately, that's _all_ it's been, just _talk_. I think they're trying to stonewall us."

"Well hang on, Misty. The wall's about to come tumbling down."

Misty fixed this _look_ on Paula. "Huh?"

"Chief Reilly asked us to send you the video feed from the security cam. Maybe someone out there's seen this guy before," Paula said, uploading the video to Misty. "Okay, that should do it. Don't bother to thank me."

"Wait a minute, I'm getting a look at it… now… oh my… gosh…" Misty remained silent for a few seconds.

"Kinda tends to make one rethink their priorities, doesn't it?" Paula muttered.

"Um, yeah," Misty replied, momentarily flustered before regaining her professional journalistic manner. "Thanks for the video, Paula."

"Just don't go all 'Scoop' on us with it, will you?" Paula replied, making a thinly veiled reference to ACME-T's Scoop Carlson.

"Hey, _some_ of us didn't graduate from the tabloid school of journalism, you know," Misty reassured her. "We'll get this done _right_ if I have to send Scoop over the falls in a barrel of pickle brine _myself!_"

"That's all I can ask for, Misty," Paula said, signing off. As she returned to the rec room, the others exchanged troubled frowns. "So, guys, you think he'll be back?"

"Paula," Drake replied, "I'd bet money on it."

"That's all I need to hear," she said. "Well, rest time's over, gang. Bring out the steel wool pads."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Gordon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What else?" Paula answered, heading towards the exit, hover board in hand. "We've got a city to scour."

Mallory turned to Drake. "She's going to say it again, isn't she?"

"Oh, let her," he replied. "She does it enough times, she'll get as sick of it as _you_ are."

"Surf's up!" Paula yelled, mounting her board and soaring through the sky.

As the others followed her out of the orb on their hover boards (and one jet), Mallory winced, "I really _hate_ that phrase!"

---

By now an all points bulletin had been put out for the mysterious villain. While the HOP Force assisted the police with the air search, Reilly stayed a little closer to ground level, steering his vehicle through the maze of Acmetropolis's streets and alleyways. "Reilly to all units, repeat, Reilly to all units. Any sign of that guy?"

"Poindexter, Car 54. No sign so far, Chief."

"Dent, Car 42. Nothing here, sir."

"Heinz, Car 57. Nada."

"Well, keep looking. He's bound to show himself sooner or later. HOP Force, anything?"

"No, can't see him, Chief," Massive replied. "Maybe he's laying low until he's sure the heat's off."

"After what he pulled this morning, I'm not surprised, Gordon. The rest of you doing any better?"

"Not so far, Chief," Paula said. "Oh, we forwarded the video over to Acme-T News like you requested."

"Thanks, Weather Vane. That'll hopefully make our job a little easier… hang on a minute, I'm heading over the Floating Bridge…"

"The one over Acmetropolis Falls?" Mallory asked.

"That's the one. Maybe he's hiding in another part of… whoa… wait a minute…"

Duke asked, "Something up, Chief?"

"Yeah… I think I see him… yeah, that's him!"

"What's he doing?"

"You're not gonna believe this. He's just standing there leaning on the railing and enjoying the view."

"I can think of a _different_ view for him to enjoy…"

"So can _I_, Duke. Attention all units. Suspect is on the Acmetropolis Floating Bridge. Repeat. Suspect is on the Floating Bridge. Proceed with caution, there's no telling what he's up to. Reilly out." The Chief parked his car a short distance away, made sure he had his gun handy, and casually sauntered across the bridge. The bridge itself was a technological marvel - it actually _floated_ above the Acmetropolis Falls some 3,000 feet below, affording quite a view. Of course, for safety reasons, actually being on the bridge itself was prohibited unless you were in a car or other vehicle. At the moment, Reilly wasn't concerned about any of that.

He had a suspect to apprehend.

Reilly stood a few feet away, pulled his weapon out slowly and yelled, "FREEZE!" The villain didn't even bat an eye. "Just turn around slowly, keep your hands where I can see them… all right, mister; you're going to have a _lot_ to answer for…"

"To use the vernacular, blow it out your ear," the villain replied.

"Very funny. The heckler's audition's been called off, pal."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that… Chief Reilly, is it?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I thought." The jewel on his uniform glowed a bright red, and the villain aimed his hands in the Chief's direction.

"All right, that's enough. Stop or I'll shoot!"

"A little gun crazy today, aren't we, Chief?" the villain smiled. "If I may use the vernacular again, why don't you take a long walk off a short pier? Better still," he added, more intensely this time, "why not take a short walk off the bridge? Go on… you know you _want_ to…"

Reilly tried to fight it, but whatever this guy was doing was too strong. He dropped his gun, walked past the villain with a glazed look in his eyes, climbed onto the railing, and stepped off, plummeting towards the bottom of the falls. To add insult to injury, the mist from the falls acted to awaken him from his trance. The Chief did a double-take and wished to heck this was a cartoon... and then he heard the voice.

"CHIEF!" He looked up to see Massive sky surfing just within reach. Quickly, Gordon extended his arm and caught him by his left hand, sweeping Reilly onto the board with him, and then swooping out from the falls to rejoin the rest of the Force in mid-air, Reilly holding on tight for dear life!

The villain grumbled to himself, shrugged, turned around and picked up Reilly's weapon. A sharp "AHEM!" got his attention, he looked up… and that's when Duke pasted him in the snoot, knocking him out cold. He reached into his simulated-leather bomber jacket, pulled out a plastic bag and a pen, and scooping the gun up by the barrel with the pen, dropped the weapon into the bag just as the rest of the Force and a couple of squad cars joined him.

"That was a _close_ one!" Duke smiled, speaking into his communicator. "Okay, Vel, you can bring it back up now." From its parking orbit just beneath the bridge, Velvet brought the jet back into view. "Nice save, Gord!"

"Eh, no biggie," Massive chuckled. "You okay back there, Chief?"

"_Now_ I know why they don't allow foot traffic on this bridge!" Reilly gasped, releasing his hold on the big guy. "I'll take my gun back, Duke…"

"Sorry, Chief, no can do," the elder Sypher brother shrugged. "Evidence. The guy's prints should be all _over_ this thing."

"Oh, right," Reilly grimaced. Turning to the other cops and casting a contemptuous glance at the downed villain, he growled, "Well, isn't anybody going to _cuff_ this jerk?"

---

Reilly accompanied the Force back to the tower, where Mallory scanned his gun for usable prints. "No offense, Mastermind, but we _can_ do this back at police headquarters, you know," he hinted.

"Perhaps, Chief, but we like _instant_ results," Mallory smiled. "Ah, that Tech… nothing but the most sophisticated equipment… okay, let's see what we have." She pressed a button on the computer, and a quick flash of fingerprints paraded by at a dizzying speed until a positive match was shown, accompanied by a photo, name, address, etc. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a loser!"

"Is she insulting me again?" Drake griped.

"_Somebody_ has to," Duke kidded him. "Who've we got, Mall?"

"Presented for your disapproval, Mr. Clive N. Higginbottom… Higginbottom, Higginbottom…" she mused, bringing her hand to her lips.

"There's an echo in this crime lab," Paula noted. "What's the deal, Mallory?"

"I may be wrong, but I _think_ I've heard that name before…"

Velvet, entering the room at that moment, saw the villain's I.D. and reacted with a start. "_Professor_ Higginbottom? I _knew_ he looked familiar!"

"You've heard of him, Vel?" Reilly asked.

Velvet approached the screen and studied the face. "Yeah, he used to be one of my teachers at Acmetropolis Polyscience! Before they fired him, that is."

"What for?"

"Well, he had some crackpot theories about hypnosis and mind control, that sort of stuff, it went against the curriculum, and they let him go back in '72… just before… the meteor hit…" Her voice trailed off. "I guess they're not so crackpot anymore, huh?"

"No, guess not," Drake observed. "Well, at least he's on his way to retirement."

"Thanks for reminding me," Reilly said, speaking into his communicator. "Car 54, this is Reilly. We have a positive ID on that suspect. His name is Professor Clive N. Higginbottom, H-i-g-g-i-n-b-o-t-t-o-m, over." All he received by way of an answer was static. "54, this is Reilly, come in, over! Repeat, Poindexter, Gwynne, this is Reilly, come in, over!" More static. One of _those_ looks came over the Chief at that moment.

"What are you thinking, Chief?" Paula asked softly.

"Something awful, Paula, and I hope to heaven I'm _wrong!_" He spoke urgently into his communicator again. "Calling all cars, calling all cars, squad car 54 is not responding to calls. Was transporting Prof. Clive N. Higginbottom, suspect in this morning's robbery and killings at the Bank of Acmetropolis. Suspect is extremely dangerous, proceed with caution! Repeat..."

Reilly's message went out to all available units. It was even picked up on the radio in car 54.

Unfortunately, car 54 was now rammed headlong into a monorail post, the officers in no shape to answer… ever again.

The back door was open.

Professor Higginbottom was long since gone.

All that remained were his handcuffs… and two dead policemen…

whose weapons were nowhere to be found…

---

Chapter Three: "Now it's personal…"

---

A little while later, after returning from the crime scene, Reilly pulled up a stool at Hooligan & Hannigan's, Acmetropolis's finest Irish pub, and ordered himself an Irish coffee. At the moment, he needed a drink. What he didn't _want_ was company.

But - like it or not - he was going to get it anyway.

A tall man with rusty blonde hair and blue eyes (which were hidden behind his mirrored pilot shades) sat down on the stool next to him. "Coffee, black, please," he said, before removing his shades and turning to the policeman on his left. "Figured I might find you here, Chief."

"What do _you_ want, Duke?"

"Coffee. I hear they make a really good brew here. Better than the slag Drake makes back at HQ… at least, it had _better_ be." He paused long enough to take a sip, and made a face that suggested he was _not_ drinking a chocolate milkshake. "Um. Man, that's good coffee." He paused. "That'll peel the finish off of a _satellite_."

Reilly raised his left eyebrow in response. "Oh, and Drake's _won't?_"

"Nah, his'll just dissolve it completely. Look, Chief, you aren't the first cop this has happened to, you won't be the last."

"And you think knowing that'll make it easier?"

"No," Duke sighed. "No, it won't."

"Perhaps not," Reilly growled, staring at the bar, "but this is the first time it's happened to _me_." He took a sip of _his_ coffee and then turned to look back at Duke. "Hey, let me ask you something. You were in M.I. You ever lose a partner?"

Now it was Duke's turn to stare at the bar. "More than I _cared_ to, man. Nature of the beast. That's part of the reason I quit. By the time I left, I was just so _tired_ of it all. I never got used to it. I don't think we're _supposed_ to." He took another sip of coffee. "Like I said, it doesn't make it easier."

Reilly sighed and took another sip of _his_ coffee. "Perhaps you're right, Duke. What galls me is we _had _him, and he got away! He's out there right now with two stolen weapons, at least, not to mention a truckload of quasarlinium, and at least five victims…"

"Yeah. Now we just gotta stop that number from getting any higher."

"I hear _that_," Reilly agreed, raising his cup. "A toast?"

"Why not?" Duke replied. "To Poindexter and Gwynne."

Reilly clanked his cup against Duke's. "Amen, brother…"

---

At the same time, Misty Breeze was going over the list of stories for the early evening newscast when a knock on her door interrupted her. "What in the moons of Meepzor…" She didn't finish the question, as she spied Paula in the doorway. "Oh, it's _you_. Do you have any idea how _hard_ it is for me to remind myself you're one of the good guys… now?" She paused for a few seconds before she noticed that Paula was looking as upset as Misty had ever seen her without causing it herself.

"Hi, Misty. Something terrible's happened and…"

Despite all claims to the contrary (by anyone who would admit that they knew her), Misty Breeze wasn't _completely_ heartless. "Look, just tell me calmly, okay? Now what's wrong?"

Paula sat down and looked at her former boss / tormentor. "He did it again," she said softly.

"Oh, great. Now what?"

"As near as the chief can figure, he was being taken to jail when he hypnotized one of the officers into unlocking his handcuffs. Then he made him shoot his partner, and then crash the squad car into a monorail post."

Misty's jaw slowly dropped. "Are they…"

"Both of them. He got away."

"Oh, no…" the newswoman paled.

"The only good thing, _if_ you can call it good, is we have a _name_ to go along with the face… Clive N. Higginbottom, H-i-g-g-i-n-b-o-t-t-o-m, got that?"

Misty stared at Paula as if she'd just heard a ghost. "Waitaminute, waitaminute… _Professor_ Clive N. Higginbottom?"

Paula stared back. "You've _heard_ of him?"

"Yeah, I _think_… hold on…" Misty typed the name into her computer, which brought up a list of names and dates, with Higginbottom's highlighted. "I _thought_ that name sounded familiar! I did an interview with him back in '71 that never got aired. The guy was a total _fruitcake_, if you ask me… wait, here it is." She touched the 'play' button on the screen and the interview aired. Paula leaned in close. "What do you think, is that the guy?"

"Yeah, it sure _looks_ like him, only he had a lot more _hair_ then," Paula noted when the interview was over. "You think I can get a copy of this?"

"Sure, hang on…" Misty quickly copied it onto a holocard, and handed it to Paula. "There you go, and thanks for the update," she said hurriedly.

"Just as long as I _never_ have to do it again," Paula sighed, taking a deep breath, and looking at Misty once more. What she saw shocked her even more than Higginbottom's latest crime. Misty had her back to Paula, and she was supporting herself on her desktop with both hands, her shoulders shaking. "Misty? You okay?"

Misty turned around to face Paula, tears running down her face. "My father… was a policeman, Paula. He spent all his working life on the force. The… day before he was supposed to retire, he was… shot to death in a restaurant. He'd only gone there… to have lunch and walked in on a robbery… he never had a chance…"

"I… I'm so sorry, Misty… I never knew…" Paula gasped, as the shaking newswoman embraced her for support.

"Paula… catch this guy, would you?"

"We'll catch him, Misty, I promise…"

A few minutes later, after Misty had calmed down, Paula left the studio wondering about the oddities of fate. She had never known _that_ about her ex-boss before - in fact, she could have gone the rest of her _life_ without knowing it; but now that she _did_, Paula was determined to make good on her promise to Misty, if only to reassure her that the bad guys didn't _always_ win.

If she had anything to say about it, _this_ one wouldn't.

Paula was in too much of a state of upset to fly back to HQ, so she decided to walk. Maybe, she reasoned, the fresh air would help her get her head together. As it happened, she passed right by Hooligan & Hannigan's and saw Duke and Reilly inside, so she went in to join them. Fresh air could wait. "Hi, guys," she sighed.

"Hey, Surfer Girl, what brings _you_ down to earth?" Duke asked, standing up. "Here, take my place." He then moved over one stool to the right.

"Thanks, Duke," Paula said. "I just had a talk with Misty Breeze, guys. She's _really_ taking this personally." Meeting their questioning gazes, she recounted what the distraught newswoman had told her earlier.

Reilly stared at the girl. "'Iron Mike' Brzezikovski? That guy was a _legend_ on the force!" He briefly turned his gaze to his shoes. "I was still a detective sergeant when that happened. It'll be ten years ago tomorrow. Boy, do I remember _that_ day…"

"You're not the _only_ one who does," Paula said, looking downcast. "What the heck was I _thinking_, promising her we'd catch him? We don't even know where to start _looking…_"

"Beginning to doubt your own abilities, Hayes?" Reilly asked.

"Hey, _that's_ my number one personality trait, remember?" she sighed.

"_This_ from the girl who took down General Qurrg three times in one day," Duke noted, gently rubbing her left shoulder. "As my little brother might say, 'Don't worry your pretty head about it, cuteness, we'll get him.'"

"Thanks, Don," she smiled. "Guys, do you _really_ think we're gonna get another crack at him?"

"I _hope_ so, Paula," Duke grimaced.

---

An hour later, the HOP Force were back in the sky, doing an aerial sweep of several sectors of the city. "Any sign of him, Mallory?" Paula asked.

"Nope, nothing here," Mastermind replied. "Massive?"

"Same here, Mall. Vel?"

"Nada. Drake?"

"Unh-unh. Nothing here _either_, gorgeous," Drake said. "Yo, big bro, how's it looking?"

In their pearl-white jet, Duke scanned several areas of downtown Acmetroplis. "As empty as a politician's promise, squirt. How 'bout we meet up in Sector 38, guys?"

"Good enough for me, Duke," Paula said. "Meet you there. Paula out." She tilted her hover board slightly and flew towards Sector 38, where she met the other members of the Force. "Okay, now what?"

"I dunno, cuteness," Drake said, briefly looking down. Then he froze. "We're… still looking for a slightly bald guy in a blue suit wearing an oversized trench coat, right?"

"Of _course_ we are, copyboy," Mallory sighed. "Why?"

Drake pointed downward to his left. "'Cos I think that's _him_ down there!"

"Hey, he's _right!_" Velvet declared. "Good job, Drake!"

"Congratulate me when he's caught and put away, beautiful," he replied.

"What are we waiting for?" Paula asked. "Let's get him!" As the fivesome veered towards him, Paula spoke into her wrist. "Duke, you sure know how to pick 'em. He's here!"

"I'll be astonished later, Surfer Girl!" Duke replied, placing the jet in a parking orbit nearby.

Higginbottom looked up to see five hover boarders in V formation facing him several feet above where he was standing. "Hey, Professor, we'd like to have a _talk_ with you," Massive declared.

"Preferably in words of one or more fists," added Drake.

"So, you're the defenders of Acmetropolis," Higginbottom hissed.

"Yeah, something _wrong_ with that?" Massive challenged him.

"No, I was just expecting a little more..."

"Fur and feathers?" Drake asked. "Sorry, pal, you got the _wrong_ batch of heroes, here!"

"Well, now wait a minute, he _hasn't_ seen you on Halloween," Paula grinned.

"Ha ha, very funny!"

"It's customary to introduce yourself," Mallory said. "We can't keep referring to you as 'Professor Scum'..."

"Why not? Works for me," Paula said.

"The name, if you will, is 'Mindbender'."

"What about if we won't?"

Mindbender glared at Paula. "You think you're funny, _don't_ you?"

"I've been known to have my moments," she shrugged.

"Yes, well let _me_ see how funny you are... when you _can't!_" he declared, the jewel on his uniform glowing bright red.

"Paula, look out!" yelled Velvet.

Her warning came too late as the villain raised his hand and fired a beam at Paula's face, knocking her off of her hover board. "AUUUUGGGHHH! Not AGAIN!" she screamed, holding her hands over her eyes. Massive was there in an instant.

"Hang on, I got you," he declared, positioning his board in just the right spot. He knew that if he actually tried to catch her in his arms, it could be disastrous for the both of them. Fortunately, when you can control gravity, that's _not_ a thing you have to worry about. He stretched out his arm and, thankfully, caught her in a gravity beam. "You all right, babe?" he asked as he gravitated her onto his board.

"No," she moaned, closing her eyes tightly and clinging to Massive for dear life. "Velvet!"

"Yes?"

"You and the others cover for me..."

"I got you. We're going to have to hold this clown off while you get to HQ. We're on it!"

"Thanks. Okay, Massive, let's go!" Wrapping her arms around the big guy while standing a little unsteadily, the pair hovered swiftly to the tower while the others distracted Mindbender as much as possible. Unfortunately, _he_ still had the police weapons… and he knew how to use them.

"I don't like this," Mallory shouted. "His shots are getting too close for comfort!"

"I hear that!" Velvet replied, speaking into her wrist communicator. "Duke, where are you?"

"Right behind you, Vel!"

"Good enough. Okay team, let's board this jet and get out of Dodge while the sky's still open!" The escape hatch opened, and the remaining team members sailed in. "Duke, can you take him out?" Vel asked.

"Look who you're asking," the elder Sypher brother smiled grimly, preparing to fire… and then he stopped. "_Crabcakes!_" he cursed.

"What's the deal?" Drake asked.

"He's got a hostage," Duke snarled. "Look…"

Drake looked in his video screen. "Man, that lousy… hey, isn't that… _Misty Breeze?_"

It was. And Mindbender had one of the stolen police weapons pointed right at her head, his other arm wrapped tightly around her waist. "All right," he bellowed, as if he thought they could hear him, "any one of you makes a move and cockatoo girl here _gets_ it!"

Unfortunately for him, Mindbender overlooked one simple thing. He forgot to restrain Misty's _arms._ As hard as she could, she swung her right arm upward in a fierce back punch and knocked him to the ground, breaking his nose in the process. Misty had no time to see this for herself, of course, as she was too busy running for her life!

Drake reactivated his board and headed for the escape hatch. "Wait for me, I'll be right back!" he shouted as he surfed out of the jet and intercepted the frightened woman as she turned a corner. "Miss Breeze! Hop on!" he yelled. Misty didn't _dare_ ask any questions. She climbed on to the hover board and clung to Drake, not daring to look down _or_ up as they soared back into the jet. "Okay, bro', let's scram!"

"What about Mindbender?" Duke asked.

"We'll get another crack at him, don't worry about _that_," Drake snapped. "Just GO!"

"Hang on tight, Miss Breeze," Mallory said. "We're outta here!"

Duke steered the jet as fast as he could, while Drake contacted the chief. "HOP Force calling Chief Reilly, over!"

"Reilly here, Drake."

"We just ran into Higginbottom, only now he's calling himself 'Mindbender'. He zapped Paula and tried to take Misty Breeze hostage, but she escaped. He should be somewhere around the area of Sector 38 with a broken nose."

"Got it. Are they okay?"

"Well, Massive took Paula back to HQ, and Misty's with us in the jet right now."

"Okay, tell you what, take Misty to HQ with you and I'll meet you there."

"Gotcha. HOP Force out."

---

"Well, Miss Breeze, this is it," Velvet said as the group escorted her into the HQ. "Make yourself at home while I have a look at Paula."

"Okay," she replied, with none of her trademark abrasiveness. "Is… is she going to be okay?"

"I sure _hope_ she is," Velvet answered quietly and left.

Misty muttered, "So do I." She took a deep breath, sat down and looked up at Drake. "Um, thanks for rescuing me."

"Hey, glad to do it," Drake smiled, sitting beside her. "You throw one mean back punch!"

"Thanks," Misty said as Chief Reilly came through the doors. "My father taught me how to do that. It comes in handy when it has to. The down side, though, is it doesn't land me many _dates_."

"Funny you should mention that," Drake suggested. "My book happens to be open…"

Misty switched gears from grateful ex-hostage to… well… Misty. "When you finish _coloring_ it, let me know." Mallory had to restrain herself from laughing out loud.

"Hi, guys," the chief said. "You all right, Miss Breeze?"

"I… I think so, Chief. Any sign of him?"

"Nah, he got away, darn it," he muttered. "Don't worry, we'll get him. I need you to tell me what happened, though."

"Listen, while you're doing that, I'm going to have a look at our surveillance videos," Mallory said. "Maybe we can still find him."

"Good idea, Mallory," Reilly replied. "Let me know if you come up with anything." Mastermind nodded and left to check the videos while Reilly turned his attention back to Misty.

In the meantime, Velvet had finished her cursory examination of Paula, excused herself, and went into the lab. "Velvet calling Tech! Velvet calling Tech! Emergency! Over!"

On the planet Blanc, Tech and the other Loonatics were relaxing in _their_ HQ when the call came in. The genius coyote could tell from the tone of Velvet's voice that something was amiss. "Tech here, Velvet! What's wrong?"

"You aren't busy right now, are you?"

"No, we're just listening to Duck gripe about how he can't see Misty Breeze anymore... among other things. What's the problem?"

"We need you and Rev pronto. Paula's been hurt... seriously."

The Loonatics looked at each other, and then Ace nodded his approval. "We're on our way! Tech out! C'mon, Rev!" The portal appeared, and Tech and Rev stepped through it, appearing in the lab. "Hmmm… not quite where we wanted to end up…"

"Maybe not, guys, but it's where we're going to need you," Velvet said, hugging them briefly. "It's good to see you again."

"Same here, Vel. You said Paula's been hurt. How is she?" Tech asked.

"Stable for the most part," Vel sighed. "We were fighting this guy who calls himself 'Mindbender', and she took a direct beam in her eyes."

"You mean...?"

"Tech, Rev," she said, almost close to tears, "I think she's _blind_."

"We'll see what we can do," the coyote said softly...

---

Chapter Four: "A jewel of a clue…"

Mallory seated herself at the console and replayed the videos from the last half hour, starting from when Drake rescued Misty and working backwards. Following Mindbender's traces in reverse order, she mapped out the spot where he first appeared in that time frame. Adding another half hour, she went a little further and spotted something that might possibly be of interest. She paused at that point and rejoined the others, where Misty was finishing up the description of her ordeal.

"That's all I can tell you, Chief," Misty concluded. "You say his name's 'Mindbender'?"

"It is _now_," Drake muttered. "He _was_ Prof. Clive …"

"Higginbottom, yes, I know," Misty replied. "I did an interview with him a few years back. Paula should've given you that copy of it…" Drake left the room and returned a minute later with the holocard. "That's the one…"

"Miss Breeze, Chief," Mallory asked, "Could you have a look at _our_ video?"

"Sure, Mall," the Chief replied. "Find something?"

"I'm not quite sure," she said, as the group followed her to the console, and she replayed the video, stopping at several key points. "Okay, now this is where Drake picked you up…"

"He _rescued_ me," Misty muttered. "_Nobody_ picks me up!"

"I sit corrected," Mallory smirked. "He _rescued_ you… okay, that's where Higginbottom grabbed you… that's where we were when he attacked Paula… now he's coming out of that building in Sector 37…" She fast-reversed the video a little further. "Now he's going into that building…"

"Hey, anybody know what's _in_ Sector 37?" Duke asked.

"You know, I pass by that building nearly every day and even _I _don't know what's there…" Without as much as an invitation, Misty immediately took over the controls, zooming in on the picture and bringing it into higher definition. "That's the Fresh Aire Taxi Company," she said, leaning her head on her hand and studying the picture intensely. "What on earth was he doing _there_, and for so long?" She turned to see Mallory fix this _look_ on her. "Sorry… forgot…"

"No, that's okay," Mallory replied. "He didn't go _in_ with anything, and he didn't take anything _out_ as far as we can tell, so why was he there?"

"Perhaps he wanted to book a trip?" Drake asked.

"Get _real_, copyboy!" Mallory grumbled.

"You're asking a _lot_ out of him, aren't you, Mallory?" Tech grinned as he, Rev and Velvet joined the others. "What's going on?"

"Just reviewing some evidence," Reilly said. "Miss Breeze, do you want to go home now?"

"No, Chief, I think I'll stick around a little while longer," Misty said. "Oddly enough, I feel safer in here."

"Oh-man-Duck-is-gonna-be-so-_mad_-he-missed-out-on-this," Rev laughed.

"Well, let's tell him some other time, okay, buddy?" the coyote advised him. "Mall, we need you in the lab…"

---

Massive sat by Paula's bedside, not quite knowing how to react to what had happened to her. If Velvet was right, and Paula had been blinded, how long would it last? He hoped it was only a temporary thing, but if it were permanent… He mentally slapped himself for even thinking about it. He'd already decided that whatever happened to her, he'd stay by her side no matter what. If she could never see another thing again, he'd stay with her that much more. The only thing he could do for her now was what he did the first time they encountered the Selzerians. Holding her hand, he gently stroked her hair. "You gonna be okay, babe?" he asked, the concern for Paula as obvious in his voice as it was on his face.

Paula smiled weakly at her boyfriend, even though she couldn't see him. "You worry too much, you know that, you big lug nut?"

"Hey, that's what they underpay me for," he grinned.

"Honestly? You get _underpaid?_" she grinned back. "I'm going to have a long talk with our accountant." She fumbled around on her left glove, and briefly became frustrated. "I always thought I could do this with my eyes shut," she whispered. Without her sight, she was _definitely _a fish out of water.

"Here, let me," Gordon replied, placing her fingers on the communicator controls. "There you go, babe."

"Thanks," Paula sniffed, regaining control as she spoke into her glove. "Attention, HOP Force. Emergency meeting in the conference room in five minutes. Be there or be somewhere else. Paula out."

"Okay, Paula, I'll bite," Gordon said. "Why five minutes?"

"Because," she replied, clumsily wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her head on his shoulder, "it'll take me _four_ minutes to get this out of my system." That said, she quietly cried herself out.

In the lab, Tech turned to Velvet, Mallory and Rev. "You guys think we can get this done in five minutes?"

"If-we-take-our-sweet-_time_-about-it," Rev replied.

"That's all I needed to hear, pal," the coyote smiled. "Okay, Vel, what do we do first?"

---

"Talk about your trials by fire," Paula said as Massive helped her to the conference table. Gingerly, she felt around until she sensed she could sit down safely, her now sightless eyes staring at nobody. "Or is this a setback?"

"Either one doesn't sound too good to me, cuteness," Drake sighed. "So where's Velvet and Mallory?"

"Right here," Mallory replied, as she and Vel entered the conference room at that moment, accompanied by Tech and Rev.

"You guys must've been busy to miss an emergency meeting," Paula half-smiled.

"They were, Paula," Tech said.

"Tech!" Paula exclaimed, standing up, and almost knocking her chair over and falling down in the process. Suddenly, instinct kicked in and she changed into her Weather Vane persona, standing up immediately. Slowly she turned her head... and gasped. "TECH! REV! I... I can SEE!"

"All _right!_" Rev exclaimed.

"Don't get too excited yet," Tech cautioned her. "Change back."

"Okay," she smiled, doing as Tech suggested... and expressing disappointment when her blindness returned. "Guys? Wh-where'd you go?"

"We're right here, Surfer Girl," Duke said softly, helping her sit back down. "Tech, what happened?"

"Astounding," Tech mumbled. "Both personas _should've_ been blinded, but they _weren't_."

Velvet spoke next. "Here, Paula. If you're wondering why we were so late, we were busy cooking these things up." She then handed the girl a pair of folding sunglasses.

"Thanks," Paula muttered, fumbling to open them and put them on without making too much of a fool of herself. As she did, shock registered on her face. "My gosh! I... I can SEE! AGAIN! How'd you _do_ that?"

"Let's just say you're benefiting from _my_ years of experience, 'little sister'," Velvet smiled. "Not to mention Tech and Mallory's help."

"I-chipped-in-with-color-design," Rev added enthusiastically.

"You know, it actually felt good to get back in that lab again," Tech smiled.

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Mallory said.

"Mind you, Paula, this is only a temporary solution, at least until we can clear time for you to have proper medical treatment."

"I understand, Tech. But before that happens, we have to take care of this Mindbender clown... and fast!"

"I'll-still-be-go-to-heck-if-I-know-why-you-can't-see-as-Paula-but-you-can-as-Weather-Vane," Rev said.

"The only part of that _I_ caught was 'go to heck'," Drake said, confused.

"_That_ doesn't surprise me," Duke replied.

"I think _I_ caught the meaning," Velvet said. "Any theories, Tech?"

"Just _one_, but it doesn't really make much sense," the coyote shrugged. "Why do you think he calls himself 'Mindbender'?"

"'Cause Danger Duck was already taken?" Drake said, receiving a dope slap from Duke for his effort. "Ow! What was that for?"

"The good of humankind," Duke replied. "It's got to have something to do with the power of suggestion."

"You think so?" Paula asked.

"It's possible," Velvet added. "Remember what he said before he knocked you off your hover board?"

"Oh, now you're asking me to _think_," Paula said, bringing a hand to her forehead. "Wait, I remember now! He said, 'Let _me_ see how funny you are... when you _can't!_'"

"Then what happened?" Tech asked.

"Basically, that's when the lights went out all over my world," Paula sighed.

"Just when you think you have all the villains figured out, another one comes along to muck up the works," Massive grumbled.

"Hey, that's the hero biz for you," Drake replied.

"So-why-don't-you-just-change-into-Weather-Vane-for-the-duration?" asked Rev.

"It would make it easier, babe," Massive agreed.

"You're probably right, guys," Paula sighed. "But I can't see the logic of changing into that side of me just because I want to _see_. Besides, blind or not, I still _like _being Paula Hayes again, you know?" She paused. "At least, I _thought_ I did..."

"Hey, girlie?" Mallory asked. "You should probably be _glad_ he didn't zap you as Weather Vane..."

"What are you trying to say?" Massive snapped.

"Hey, steady, big fella, she didn't mean that the way it sounds. And anyway, she's absolutely right. Perhaps it _is_ better that 'Paula' got blinded instead of 'Weather Vane'," Drake said. "If it were the other way around, who knows _what_ might happen if she had to use her powers and couldn't see?"

The others considered this for a few seconds. "Sometimes, Drake, your logic makes better sense than mine," Paula smiled. "And Higginbottom _hasn't_ seen me as Weather Vane..."

Just as Velvet had earlier, Tech also reacted with a start. "_Higginbottom?_ Prof. Clive N. Higginbottom?"

"One and the same," Velvet replied.

"Talk about your small universes," Misty observed casually…

---

"So, Chief, what did you find out?" Duke asked.

"A whole lot of nothing, _that's_ what," Reilly replied. "We questioned everybody who was at the taxi company at that particular time and not a _one_ of them remembers seeing Higginbottom there!"

"You think maybe they're covering up for him?"

"No, Duke, it's more like they honestly _believe_ he wasn't there," the chief sighed. "That video of yours tells me different, though."

"I'm just wondering… could he somehow have _brainwashed_ them into forgetting he showed up?"

"Mass hypnosis?" Reilly asked, pondering the possibility. "Well, now that you mention it, he _did_ hypnotize those two bank guards at the same time, so if he actually _did_ hypnotize an entire taxi fleet, it wouldn't surprise me. It's the 'why would he bother?' factor that's got _me _stumped. How's Paula doing?"

"Tech's giving her a thorough eye exam now, Chief," Duke said, pointing to the rec room.

Tech examined Paula's eyes carefully, and then shrugged. "Physically, there's nothing _wrong_ with them, Paula. Let me have a look at Weather Vane's."

"Okay," Paula said, changing into her alter-ego without even blinking. "That's much better," she smiled, and waited patiently while Tech repeated his exam. "Anything?"

"Outside of the worst case of pinkeye on record? Not a thing. You have 20/20 vision, don't you?"

"Normally, yes."

"You can change back now, if you like."

"All right," she sighed, doing just that, and returning to her sightless world. "Wait a minute," she said frantically, feeling around on the couch. "My glasses! Where's my glasses?"

"On the top of your head," Tech smiled. "They don't really make an effective headband, you know."

"Oh, right," she said sheepishly, feeling around until she found them and put them back into place, blinking as her artificially-induced sight returned. "That's better. Would it surprise you to learn I keep writing the wrong date when the New Year comes around?"

"Probably not," Tech chuckled. Paula smiled weakly, and then turned serious. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure, Tech, but I keep going back to that taunt of Mindbender's and this whole 'power of suggestion' thing. Do you really think I'm blind because he _said_ it'd happen?"

"Paula, I've seen a _lot_ of strange things ever since the meteor struck back in '72. Someone who can _suggest_ an injury and make it happen? That's probably just one more."

"It's not just an _injury_, Tech," Paula sighed. "I got off lucky by comparison. Five people _died_ because of him… _including_ two policemen. The Chief was lucky he wasn't the sixth. Let me show you what we've got…" Tech and Rev followed the girl to the crime lab, where she replayed the footage from the robbery.

Tech studied the screen closely. "Yes, that's Higginbottom, all right. Mallory and I met him once when he was guest lecturing at the Institute… I thought he was a nut job _then_…" Tech and Rev stared, horrified, as the video replayed Mindbender's first crime. Paula, for her part, removed her glasses, opting for the temporary comfort of the dark. Tech quietly shut the playback off while Rev approached her.

"Too much for you?" the road runner asked slowly.

She nodded silently, and had to restrain herself from crying. "I… I've never been exposed to anything _remotely_ like that before…"

"We're not counting the _first_ time you were Weather Vane, right?" Tech asked softly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't bring _that_ up again," Paula sniffed, remembering how close she had come to causing a monorail full of people to plunge off its tracks into the water below, only to be thwarted by the Loonatics. She hated to be reminded of her villainous start; especially now that she had seen death as a crime fighter. "I… I could have been like _that… _if you hadn't stopped me," she sobbed, finally letting it out on Tech's shoulder. Obviously, she still bore feelings of guilt about that incident, feelings _no_ amount of heroics would ever erase.

Rev whispered, "Hey, maybe we should call in Zadavia and…"

"No," Paula replied. "I know what you're thinking, Rev, but I can't ask her to do the memory absorption for this. I know it sounds strange, but I always _want_ to keep that memory."

"When it _upsets_ you like that? _Why?_"

"Because it reminds me how horrible I _was_… and how far I've come since… and how lucky I am that it didn't get worse… heck, just how lucky I am, period," she replied, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and finally smiling. "Especially for knowing you guys."

"You're welcome," Tech smiled in return, taking her glasses from her hand and putting them back where they belonged, before becoming serious again. "I'm just wondering…"

"Wondering _what_, Tech?"

"When he was lecturing at the Institute, he said a lot of gobbledygook about how he thought powers of mind control were all around us, and if they had a channel to go through, that we could harness those powers… at least, it sounded like hogwash at the time… is it possible that he _found_ that channel?"

"You-mean-that-jewel-on-his-uniform-that-keeps-glowing-before-he-zaps-everyone?" Rev asked.

"Exactly, buddy. If you guys could take _that_ out, maybe you can render him powerless!"

Now Paula was all business again. "Maybe, but what kind of gemstone has _that_ kind of ability, Tech?"

"Of _course!_" the coyote mused. "Why didn't I think of it before? There's only _one_ gem that I know of that would fit that description. Let's get the others in here. I _think_ I know how we can shut down Mindbender once and for all…"

---

Chapter Five: "I'll be down to arrest you in a taxi, buddy…"

---

When the rest of the Force were assembled in the crime lab, Tech replayed the video (deferring to Paula, he paused it when the jewel was glowing). "I have reason to believe that the jewel our not so dear Professor's sporting is a rare element called Urinium…"

Drake gave him this _look_. "Hey, there's _ladies_ here!"

"If I may _continue_…"

"Okay," Drake concurred. "Just watch your language…"

The coyote shook his head and pinched his eyes shut before carrying on. "It's named after _Uri_ _Geller_, Mr. Sypher… _and nothing else!_ He was a late 20th century psychic-slash-entertainer whose fame seemed to be based on bending spoons with nothing but psychic energy… and little else, in _my_ opinion…"

"Yeah, I saw archival footage of him back at Acmetropolis PolySci," Velvet offered. "I still don't know if he was doing that for real or not…"

"Well, I don't think anybody _really_ knew for sure," Mallory shrugged.

"Yeah, well there's a lot of stuff you can do with computer animation," Massive added.

"Perhaps," Tech said, "but this was back in the 1960s and early 1970s, and that kind of technology didn't even _exist_ yet, and in any case, people, we're getting _way_ off track…"

"Oh, sorry…" Gordon mumbled.

"That's all right. Anyway, Urinium is, as I was about to say, a _very_ rare element which reportedly enhances a person's psychic abilities - as our Mr. Mindbender has demonstrated, _dangerously_ so. It is because of that reason that _possessing_ it is illegal throughout the known universe, with a mandatory prison sentence of 50 years for starters."

"What about the fines?" Drake asked.

"You couldn't afford them," Tech said off-handedly. "_Nobody_ could."

Duke let out a whistle. "That high?"

"Extremely, Duke. It's my belief that he's drawing his powers through that jewel. Ergo, destroy the jewel, you destroy the powers, Q.E.D."

A puzzled look came over Drake. "Q.E.D.?"

Tech grimaced again and wondered, not for the first time, just _why_ he had let Zadavia talk him into letting _this_ guy into the group. "_Quod erat demonstrandum_, Mr. Sypher…"

"I said there's _ladies_ here…"

Mallory placed a hand on his arm. "It's _Latin_, copyboy. It means 'which was to be demonstrated'. Now shut up before I _strangle_ you."

Tech let out a sigh and wiped his brow with his forearm. "_Thank_ you, Mallory!"

"You'd do the same for me," she smiled.

"In an instant," Tech replied.

"Okay, we can draw straws to see who gets rid of Drake later," Paula said. "Taking out that Urinium of Mindbender's is going to be the _easy_ part."

"Agreed, babe," Massive replied. "It's _finding_ him that's gonna be the hard part."

"I don't know, Gord," Drake said. "Something tells me we don't _have_ to find him."

"What do you mean?" Velvet asked.

"If we give him enough time, maybe he'll find _us_."

"Just two things _wrong_ with that theory, squirt," Duke reminded him. "One, we don't _want _him to find us; and two, time's the _one_ thing we _can't afford_ to give him."

"He's right, copyboy," Mallory agreed.

"Humph," Drake sulked. "I'm glad I didn't ask what he's gonna do with all that quasarlinium…" Tech, Rev and the rest of the Force looked first at each other, then at Drake. "What?"

"Every now and then, squirt, you come up with a good question," Duke smiled. "I'd almost forgotten about that. What _is_ he gonna do with all that quasarlinium?"

"He can't spend it, _that's_ for sure," Gordon reasoned.

"Well, he _sure_ isn't going to take it back to the bank for safekeeping," Drake added. "Even _I_ wouldn't be so stupid as to take money I'd stolen _back_ to the place where I'd gotten it from!" The group stared at each other again, then at Drake. "NOW what?" Velvet leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled coquettishly. "You're kidding…"

"Drake, _that_ may be the best idea you've ever had," she said, planting a sisterly kiss on his cheek. "_You_ might not be that stupid, but maybe our dear professor _is_…"

"Wait a minute…" Drake tried to process this, and then finally it came to him. "You think he could actually mass hypnotize everybody in the bank long enough to…"

"Exactly!" Paula declared, turning to Mastermind. "Mall, you remember that algorithm you came up with to find the Curium? Can you do the same thing with…"

"Already ahead of you, girlie," she smirked. "Tech, Rev, let's go!" The trio dashed off to the lab to work on the new program, and in a matter of a few minutes, summoned the rest of the team to join them. "All right," Mallory said, seating herself at the computer console. "Stand back, folks." She pressed a button, and a search grid appeared over a simulated map of Acmetropolis City. "There's the Bank of Acmetropolis right there in Sector 25. Now what we're going to do is start looking for any quasarlinium that's anywhere _but_ there…" She entered a mathematical formula into the computer. "We're looking for a large amount, so… hmm. That's odd. Nothing."

"Hey, maybe you're looking for too much of it in one spot," Drake offered.

"Do you _mind_, copyboy, I'm trying to…?" Suddenly this _look_ came over Mallory. "Hey, that's not a bad idea, Drake!" Furiously she typed in a new formula, and watched with amazement as the grid activated, pinpointing several locations, each within a ten block radius of the bank. "Drake, I take back every nasty thing I'm ever going to say about you in the future," Mallory gasped.

"What about the past?"

"Sorry, copyboy, I can't make it retroactive."

"Well, you'd better prepare to, Mall," Gordon chuckled. "I think those locations you found are starting to move!"

"Wha?" She did a double-take. Sure enough, the quasarlinium seemed to be moving, taking divergent routes, but all heading towards the bank. She switched over to satellite view, superimposed the grid action, and zoomed in for close-ups. "How do you like that? He's moving it there by… taxis…" She punched a few more keys, and a listing of the license numbers of those taxis came up on the screen in a side panel. "Hey, get this! They're all licensed with the Fresh Aire Taxi Company! I _knew_ he was up to _something _there!"

"Allow me," Paula said, speaking into her wrist communicator. "HOP Force calling Chief Reilly! Urgent!"

"Reilly here, Paula."

"The professor's moving the quasarlinium!"

"What? How…"

"He's using taxicabs! He _must have _hypnotized the drivers. Our guess is they're all heading to the bank."

"I got it… I think… He's gonna meet them there…"

"Oh, no he's not," Paula smirked. "I've got an idea…"

"If it's the same one _I've_ got, then I'm way ahead of you, Paula!" the chief replied. "Reilly out!"

"You wanna fill the _rest_ of us in on this, babe?" Massive asked.

"In a second," she smirked. "Let me change first!" Nodding her head, she transformed into Weather Vane, and pocketed her folding shades. "That's much better. I'll explain on the way, guys. Right now, I think it's time the professor and I actually _met_," she added, activating her hover board and running towards the exit.

Mallory caught her attention. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?"

A wicked grin crossed Mastermind's face. "Surf's up?" As everyone else looked at her, she said, "Okay, so maybe it's not _that_ bad…"

---

Mindbender waited patiently outside the rear entrance of the Bank of Acmetropolis, laughing smugly to himself as, one by one, the taxis whose drivers he'd hypnotized started pulling into the parking lot. Each driver wore a blank stare. This was working perfectly, he thought. In a few moments, the drivers would carry the quasarlinium into the bank, after which he would join them and then hypnotize the guards and tellers long enough for him to deposit it all into his own account, after which he could live comfortably for the rest of his life on his ill-gotten gains. As for the drivers and tellers… well, the world _was_ overpopulated, he thought, and a few cabbies and tellers wouldn't even be missed. As the first driver left his cab, carrying a tote bag, Mindbender couldn't help laughing out loud, "Foolproof… absolutely foolproof!"

He stopped laughing when he felt the driver point a gun at his head. "There's just one thing wrong with foolproof plans, Professor - only _fools_ think of them. Ancient Irish proverb."

"REILLY!"

"That's _Chief_ Reilly to you, scumbag!" he growled. The professor's face drooped as the rest of the 'cabbies' pointed loaded police weapons in his direction. "Professor Clive N. Higginbottom, you're under arrest for robbery and murd—OOF!" Mindbender landed a lucky back punch in Reilly's stomach and took off running. The chief grunted into his communicator. "Guys, he's all yours!"

As the professor dashed into the street, he was suddenly confronted with five superheroes on hover boards who'd appeared from the other side of the bank, and in the lead was a blue-skinned girl with lavender hair and pink eyes, wearing a black robe with lightning motif, and a _very_ angry expression. "Who… who are YOU?" he asked.

"_I'm_ your worst nightmare," Weather Vane growled. "A weather goddess on a hover board!" She raised her hands and immediately, the professor found himself caught up in a small tornado!

He tried everything he could think of to escape, but _this_ was something he obviously hadn't anticipated. "No! STOP!" Mindbender yelled. "PLEASE!! I'll give you _anything!_"

Weather Vane might have been angry, but she _still_ couldn't resist a straight line when she heard it. "_That's_ why we're not dating," she snickered, stopping the tornado suddenly and dropping Mindbender to the pavement. Painfully.

"Quick! Take him out!" Massive yelled.

"Hey, who's in _charge_ here?" Weather Vane smirked. "Bad news, Prof, your tenure's up!" she yelled, firing a well-aimed lightning bolt directly at Mindbender's jewel, breaking it in half and rendering him unconscious.

"Whoa, good shot, 'Surfer Girl'!" Duke replied.

"No, I'm Weather Vane, remember?" she smiled, changing back to Paula. "I'M the surfer... girl..." The others could tell from her expression that something was up.

"Babe?"

"Guys... I CAN SEE AGAIN! _AGAIN!_ It _was_ all psychosomatic!!" she yelled joyfully.

"Who's she calling a psycho?" Drake asked, put off. Mastermind, meantime, was busy encasing Mindbender in the Gluco-Gel™.

"Him," Massive replied, pointing at Mindbender. "Although if they asked me, I'd say _you_ come in a close second..."

"You're just going to have to try harder _next_ time, Drake," Paula shrugged.

"Of course! Since she wasn't Weather Vane when he zapped her, his power of suggestion trick worked only on Paula!" declared Mallory.

"That makes sense!" Velvet exclaimed. "Kind of. Welcome back, little sister!"

"Congratulate me later, okay?" Paula said. "Let's cart this creep to jail and go home. We gotta tell Tech to cancel my operation." The rest of the group landed, deactivated their boards and met up with Reilly and the rest of the cops. "How you doing, Chief?"

"Not bad," he chuckled. "I almost _felt_ that punch of his. You were right, guys. The quasarlinium _was_ in the cabs. Were you thinking the same thing I was, by the way?"

"What, about spritzing the cabbies with water to wake them up?" Paula asked.

"That's the one," Reilly grinned. "I figured if it worked on me at the falls, it'd work on them. Intercepting all those cabs was the tricky part. Fortunately, I've got a good crew," he added, indicating the cops. "Since the cabbies had no idea what was going on, they won't be charged with anything."

"Good thing, too," Gordon said. "Do you know how hard it is to _get_ a cab in this city?"

As the others groaned at that, Paula fixed a meaningful glance at Massive. "One more joke like that, fella, and I'm gonna start dating _Drake!_" she said, as she watched Mindbender being hauled off in a police van.

"Okay, I'll knock it off," Gordon grinned. "So, babe, can we finally call this case closed?"

Paula fixed a serious gaze on the rest of the Force. "No, we can't. Not yet…"

The others knew _exactly_ what she meant by that.

They just hoped they would be ready for it…

---

The next afternoon found the HOP Force in Acmetropolis Park, alongside the rest of the police, standing in quiet attention as Chief Thomas Reilly delivered the eulogy for officers Poindexter and Gwynne. If he got a little emotional from time to time, well, that was to be expected. After all, he'd never lost any of those under his command before. He sure hoped it would never happen again.

He wasn't the only one showing his emotions that day. Now and then, each member of the HOP Force shed a quiet tear. Attending a police memorial service was a strange new experience for most of them; and while it gave them a deeper appreciation for the seriousness of the shared duty they were all called to do, they each hoped it would be a one-time thing.

Paula thought it was ironic that on _this_ day, of all days, the sun was shining brightly. An occasion such as this _surely_ called for _some_ rain, at least… but she'd be darned if _she_ would be the one to provide it.

After the service was over, the group was about to return to HQ when Duke suggested something else instead; so it was a short time later that they walked into Hooligan & Hannigan's and, as it happened, spied Misty Breeze sitting by herself at a corner table, gazing into a napkin. The first thing they noticed was that her hair was not all gelled up, but was simply combed with a part on the left side. She looked up at that moment, spotted the Force, and waved them over in her direction.

"Well, hi, Miss Breeze," Duke said. "We almost didn't recognize you."

"That's the idea. This is what I look like when I'm just plain old Mitzi Brzezikovski and not 'cockatoo girl'. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Mallory shrugged. "Suits me fine. Hope we're not interrupting anything."

"No," she smiled weakly. "Just… it's been ten years and… well, I can't keep avoiding this day forever. I think I've been in mourning long enough, that's all." The Force nodded understandingly. "So you finally caught Mindbender… that's good."

"Yeah," Paula replied, "but we can't take _all_ the credit for it. You deserve some of it _too_, you know."

Misty eyed the girl warily. "How do you figure that?"

"Simple. If you hadn't pointed out that taxi company in Sector 37, we'd have probably never been able to make the connection when he was moving all that quasarlinium. No pun intended."

"Glad I could help," Misty said, as a waitress approached the booth. "Coffees all around?"

"Yeah, why not?" Paula replied, looking over to see Reilly approaching them. "Hi, Chief!"

"Room for one more?" he asked, noticing there was an eighth chair unoccupied.

"For you, Chief, always," Velvet said. "Sit down."

"Don't mind if I do," he smiled briefly as he joined the others. "Make mine an Irish coffee, please," he told the waitress. After she left to fill the orders, Reilly looked squarely at each of the HOP Force. "Thanks for showing up, guys," he said. "I don't think I could have gotten through that service without you."

"All we did was _stand_ there," Drake noted. "Well, _that_, and… cry a little…"

"I know, but I… I guess I just _needed_ to see you there, you know? I… can't really explain why…"

"Then don't _try_," Velvet said.

"No, I _have_ to," Reilly replied as the coffees arrived. "Thanks," he nodded to the departing waitress. "Now where was I? Oh yeah… I'll be honest, guys. I had my misgivings about you at first, but after the last few weeks, I gotta say I was wrong. Zadavia couldn't have left this crazy place in better hands."

"Thanks, Chief," Mastermind sighed. "I guess we never realized before this week what we were going to be up against when we took over this job. It didn't turn out to be at all what we were expecting. I mean, Selzerians and nincompoops like Ophiuchus Sam are one thing but… well…"

"I get the idea, Mallory," Reilly smiled. "I guess just having you guys around makes our job a little easier. Not perfect, just easier."

"Hey, Chief, if it were easy, then _everybody'd_ be doing it," Massive grinned.

"Yeah, that's true, I s'pose…"

"Just know that we're always going to be there when you need us, Chief," Paula said.

"Guys?" Reilly asked, pausing. "If you wouldn't mind… let's make it 'Tom', okay?"

Drake looked around the table and slowly raised his cup. "A toast. To… fighting the good fight."

"Did that come out of _you_, copyboy?" Mallory asked, startled.

"Don't knock it, he's learning," Misty replied, an eyebrow raised.

"You know, Drake, I couldn't have said it better myself," Reilly said. "To the good fight."

"Hear, hear," replied the group as they lightly clinked their cups.

---

EPILOGUE...

A few days later, the HOP Force were seated in their rec room when a portal opened up and Zadavia stepped out. "Well, look who joined the party," Drake grinned.

"Greetings, HOP Force," the Frelengian smiled, addressing them in that soft yet serious voice. "Paula, I take it you've recovered your eyesight?"

"Completely, Zadavia!" Paula beamed. "It feels good to be back at a hundred percent. Oh, and before you ask, tell Tech we've just about got those _new_ Zoomatrixes finished. They should be ready to fly tomorrow, barring interruptions."

"I'm happy to hear that. My congratulations, team, on your capture of Mindbender."

"Thanks, Zadavia," Velvet replied. "He's safely locked away in solitary confinement, where he can't work his hypnosis on _anybody._" She heaved a brief sigh. "And to think I used to take _classes_ from him."

"Hey, if it's any comfort, Vel," Drake said, "you seem to have gotten over that."

"Thanks, Drake," Vel said, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "So, Zadavia, can you stick around for a while?"

"I'm sorry, I regret that I can only stay briefly."

"Royal duties at the palace and all that?" Duke asked.

"Yes. So, sadly, this will be my _final_ official visit to you." The Force exchanged sad looks at that news. "It's time for you to move on..."

"Oh, and I just got my room redecorated the way I like it," Massive pouted, eliciting laughs from the others.

"I didn't think there were that many pictures of Weatherbabe you could plaster over a room that big!" Drake snickered.

"Oh, you're just jealous," Paula smiled, poking her tongue out at him.

"Perhaps I should rephrase that. Again, you've all proven yourselves worthy of being Acmetropolis's protectors beyond any question. You've certainly proven it to _me_," Zadavia smiled. "Velvet, Don, Drake, Mallory, Gordon, and Paula, it has been an honor to work with you, but now the time has come to appoint a team leader. Have you anyone in mind?"

Mallory stepped forward without a moment's hesitation, a smug smirk on her face. The others just _knew_ she'd try to name herself, so it came as a complete shock when she said, "I nominate... Paula," and stepped back.

"Huh?" Paula asked, shocked. Obviously, she wouldn't have been her own first choice!

"I second that, boss chick," Drake smiled.

"I _third_ that, but then I'm biased," Massive smiled.

Velvet stepped forward. "All things being equal, I have to agree with the others. 'Little Sister' here's got the smarts, the guts, and all the right... um... elements, if you will," she punned, tousling Paula's hair playfully. "And she also has one other thing... she's got our confidence."

"You mean that?"

"Sure I do. I'd trust you with my _life_, and it's obvious the others feel the same way."

"Hey, doesn't the new guy get an opinion?" Duke asked.

"Of course, Don," Zadavia said.

"Here we go, the 'too young and inexperienced' trip again," Paula groaned.

Duke ignored her and commenced anyway. "Okay. I just gotta say you're all overlooking one thing."

"And what's _that_, big bro?" Drake asked.

"Simple. Sure, we'd _all_ trust her with our lives, but here's the _important_ part," he said, and then smiled. "We'd all rather die than let _anything_ happen to 'Surfer Girl' here."

"Said he who shot her off a hover board with an Afflicto-Ray," Mallory added airily, causing Massive to glare at Duke.

"_That_ reminds me," Gordon said in a low growl.

"Thanks a _lot_, Mall," Duke replied.

"Take it easy, Gord, I already forgave him for that," Paula said soothingly.

"But I _haven't_, babe," he reminded her.

"Well, all right, we _were_ a little slow on the uptake last time," Drake admitted sheepishly. "Sorry. But it's like I told you on our first mission. Without you, we're just a group. _You're_ the one who makes us all a _team!_"

"And besides," Duke grinned, "if there's a better battle cry than that 'Surf's up!' you do, I haven't heard it yet!"

"What can I say?" Paula shrugged. "You can't fight these guys! I just hope you won't regret this."

"Hey, would you rather take orders from _me?_" Drake chuckled.

"What, _you?_ _Not_ in a million _years!_" Paula replied, bursting out laughing.

"It's official, then," Zadavia smiled. "Paula, they're all yours. Take good care of them."

"Yes, ma'am," Paula said seriously. "They've taken good care of _me_, that's for sure. Um, Zadavia, will you be coming back _un-_officially?"

"I'll let you know," she smiled. "For the time being, though, farewell, my friends!" She stepped through the portal, and they both disappeared.

"Okay, I guess this makes _you_ the new 'boss chick'," Drake laughed. "What's your first order of business?"

Paula opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a message on the video screen. "HOP Force," Chief Reilly intoned, "We have an emergency in Sector 14!"

"We're on it, Chief!" Paula replied, suddenly all business, as the others grabbed their hover boards and raced to the sliding exit, waiting for their leader. "Okay, guys, you heard him..."

Five voices joined in at that moment as their owners activated their boards and sailed through the skies of Acmetropolis. "SURF'S UP!!"

Observing them from her home planet of Freleng, Zadavia turned to Tech, who smiled and said, "They made a good choice, Zadavia."

"Yes, Tech, I agree."

"And with Qurrg captured and Selzer destroyed, she doesn't have to worry about that prophecy anymore…"

Zadavia briefly turned away and walked towards one of the palace windows, wordlessly staring out onto the landscape below, and thinking about the young woman who _might_ be her long-lost sister.

Tech cautiously approached his mentor and friend. "Zadavia… _tell_ me Paula's free of the prophecy…" The blonde Frelengian turned towards the coyote with a pained expression. Tech read her face like a holobook. "She _isn't…_ is she?"

"No, Tech, she's not…"

"How long do you think…?" Tech's question remained unfinished, as Zadavia returned to staring out the window, only this time, her gaze was directed towards the sky.

"I don't know…"

(to be continued…)

---

Story © November 19, 2007, Jerry D. Withers (a cat person to the end). All rights reserved. Newly revised version © Sept. 12, 2009 by same. "Loonatics Unleashed," "Acmetropolis" and all related characters and indicia are ™ and © 2005-2007 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., and are used without permission, all rights reserved, except as follows: "Duke Sypher," "Chief Reilly" and "Mindbender" created and © 2007 by ME! Again, all rights reserved. Again, the "Acmetropolis" series is inspired by a line from Fire-bandicoot-coyote's "A Christmas Carol".

---

Brace yourselves, folks. All the questions you've been asking - and even a few you hadn't thought of - will at long last be answered, as…

A team member _resigns _-

A power is _lost_ -

A heritage is _discovered_ -

A prophecy is _fulfilled_ -

All this, _and_ the return of General Qurrg -

in the _next _episode of Acmetropolis: "Resigned to Fate". See you then!

Just in case you missed them, here's the original reviews for Acmetropolis 5: Mindbender…

SSBFreak / 2007-11-30

ch 1 You're doing a great job with these! I patiently await the next story with eagerness!

ontheair/ 2009-2-3

Another great HOP Force tale...and I remember Hooligan and Hannigan's (which was home of the best corned beef sandwich in Spokane - nice touch, Furrb!). Also, surprising back story of Misty Breeze's. I wasn't expecting it (and neither was Paula, apparently).


End file.
